The present invention relates to a device for inserting information carriers in a substrate, comprising a frame provided with a feed for information carriers as well as a reciprocating insertion element provided with an accommodation for information carriers, which insertion element is provided with engagement means for information carriers and moves the latter from the feed into the substrate, vacuum means being provided to bring the information carriers to the insertion element. A device of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,556. It is now very common to provide (pot) plants and other products with information carriers. Some information carriers can comprise a relatively thin part having a pointed end that can be inserted into a somewhat deformable substrate such as potting compost. The aim in the prior art is to perform this insertion mechanically as far as possible. The numbers of information carriers which have to be inserted are increasing all the time and the demands imposed on the processing speed are becoming increasingly stringent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,556 A describes a device in which the vacuum means are mounted on the insertion element. That is to say vacuum is applied when the accommodation for information carriers in the insertion element is moved past the storage and in this way the leading information carrier from a series is picked up and inserted into the substrate by the insertion element. Although it is possible by this means largely to prevent more than one information carrier being placed in the substrate at the same time or no information carrier at all being placed in the substrate, this existing device has a large number of disadvantages. Firstly, the peripheral edge of the accommodation for the information carriers must be accurately matched to the thickness thereof. After all, if this were to be several times the thickness of the leading information carrier and for whatever reason a second information carrier moves with the leading information carrier over the very small distance which the latter travels, two information carriers are picked up, which leads to jamming and damage. This means that support for the desired information carriers is very limited. The thickness of such information carriers is between 0.2 and 1.5 mm and is more particularly approximately 0.5 mm. Furthermore, it is necessary to take measures to mount the vacuum means on the insertion element. The weight of the latter increase as a result, as a result of which a high processing speed is precluded.
The aim of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages. This aim is achieved with a device for inserting information carriers in a substrate, comprising a frame provided with a feed for information carriers as well as a reciprocating insertion element provided with an accommodation for information carriers, which insertion element is provided with engagement means for information carriers and moves the latter from the feed into the substrate, vacuum means being provided to bring the information carriers to the insertion element, said vacuum means comprising transfer means which can be moved relative to the frame and which transfer the information carriers from said feed to said insertion element. According to one aspect of the invention the vacuum means are separate from the insertion element. This is to say, vacuum means pick up the information carrier concerned and move the latter over a considerable distance to the accommodation in the insertion element. Consequently it is possible to opt for the peripheral edge of the accommodation in the insertion element being substantially higher than the thickness of the information carrier, as a result of which particularly good engagement is ensured. Moreover, in this way it is possible to insert the information carrier in a somewhat curved position into the accommodation in the insertion element, without there being any fear of movement out of the insertion element. As a result of the somewhat curved positioning of information carriers it is possible under certain circumstances to obtain a better insertion. After all, the rigidity of a somewhat curved thin sheet is increased in a direction perpendicular to the curvature.
By separating the vacuum means, that is to say the transfer means, from the insertion element the weight of the insertion element can be kept low and the construction thereof can be kept simple. High clock speeds can be achieved as a result. Moreover, it is now possible to hold the information carriers firmly at the end of the storage storage. An appreciable vacuum can be generated because the transfer means can be moved until they are in contact with the leading information carrier. In the case of the device according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,556 such a construction is much more difficult and the information carriers will be held less firmly, as a result of which there is a risk that the information carriers escape or become damaged in an undesirable manner.
Preferably, the insertion element is provided with an opening over a substantial proportion of the length thereof, through which opening the transfer means are able to move. This opening is smaller than the accommodation for the information carriers. This opening is located upstream, viewed in the insertion direction, of the accommodation. Consequently it is possible to move the transfer means through the insertion element and to pick up an information carrier during the insertion operation, when an information carrier is present in the accommodation. On the return stroke of the insertion element, the transfer movement of the transfer means takes place at the point in time when the accommodation in the insertion element is in the correct position, that is to say the information carrier is placed in the accommodation concerned. As a result of these measures the time for transferring the information carriers is longer and in fact no longer forms part of the clock time for the insertion element, as a result of which the capacity thereof can be increased appreciably.
Because the insertion element according to the present invention has no other function than to move the information carrier up and down and the accommodation can be made of appreciable size, it is possible to manufacture the insertion element from, for example, a plastic material in a simple manner. As a result the weight of the insertion element decreases and the clock time can be increased.
According to a further aspect the invention also relates to a method for, with the aid of vacuum, bringing information carriers originating from a feed into an insertion element of a device for inserting said information carriers in a substrate, wherein the first information carrier of a series is picked up by vacuum and transferred into the accommodation for information carriers in said insertion element, after which said vacuum is released.
More particularly, the picking up and movement of the information carrier by the vacuum means, which has been described above, takes place during the downward or return stroke of the insertion element, by the transfer means.
The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an illustrative embodiment shown in the drawing. In the drawing: